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paule's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
captainbella's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.75
vikingwolf's review
3.0
The amazing true story that inspired the film 'Hotel Rwanda'. Paul is a hotel manager in Kigali when the civil war breaks out and he takes in his terrified neighbours who are hiding from armed gangs looking to kill all Tutsi people and those, like Paul, who helps shelter them. They all seek refuge in the hotel where Paul uses every contact he has to keep the armed men away and keep his guests alive.
This man is truly inspiring. He risked his life to save over 1500 people who were on death lists, negotiating with murderers to keep them all safe. He had no help from the United Nations peacekeepers who mostly refuse to get involved with a few notable exceptions. He spends his time phoning contacts in Europe, begging for help to save these people under his care. Paul describes the fear, the lack of food and water, unsanitary conditions, the bribes to the would-be killers, dead mutilated bodies all over the city and the uncertainty of their fate. It is a disturbing book and I can't imagine what those people went through. The heroism of this amazing, modest man cannot be spoken of enough.
I get angry when I read stories like this because the international community seems to sit and shrug, changing channels on the TV when genocide is taking place under their very noses. I know there are difficulties, but jeez what is the POINT in having peacekeepers there who just turn away when the killing starts and abandon innocent people to their fates? There is no point saying how terrible these things are and doing nothing to stop it. Maybe these nations should declare that they have oil or a similar attractive commodity and then the international community might try to save them. We're happy to aid the rebels in Libya because of oil but how long did it take to help the people in the Balkans? YEARS! And if Tony Blair hadn't intervened and forced Bill Clinton to agree to step in with him, we might never have helped those people. Grrr. We need to place more value on human life everywhere and The UN need to pull their heads out of their bums and start getting its hands dirty. OK, rant over.
This man is truly inspiring. He risked his life to save over 1500 people who were on death lists, negotiating with murderers to keep them all safe. He had no help from the United Nations peacekeepers who mostly refuse to get involved with a few notable exceptions. He spends his time phoning contacts in Europe, begging for help to save these people under his care. Paul describes the fear, the lack of food and water, unsanitary conditions, the bribes to the would-be killers, dead mutilated bodies all over the city and the uncertainty of their fate. It is a disturbing book and I can't imagine what those people went through. The heroism of this amazing, modest man cannot be spoken of enough.
I get angry when I read stories like this because the international community seems to sit and shrug, changing channels on the TV when genocide is taking place under their very noses. I know there are difficulties, but jeez what is the POINT in having peacekeepers there who just turn away when the killing starts and abandon innocent people to their fates? There is no point saying how terrible these things are and doing nothing to stop it. Maybe these nations should declare that they have oil or a similar attractive commodity and then the international community might try to save them. We're happy to aid the rebels in Libya because of oil but how long did it take to help the people in the Balkans? YEARS! And if Tony Blair hadn't intervened and forced Bill Clinton to agree to step in with him, we might never have helped those people. Grrr. We need to place more value on human life everywhere and The UN need to pull their heads out of their bums and start getting its hands dirty. OK, rant over.
scobo's review against another edition
5.0
Very powerful book about how one person can make a difference. While the chronology can be hard to follow sometimes, he gives a good explanation of how the Rwandan genocide came to happen. It ends in a great call to action to anyone who finds thenceforth of themselves in a situation to see others as human beings.
mrsmozdog's review
Not going to rate this. It’s well written and engaging. However having also read Inside the Real Hotel Rwanda it would feel disingenuous to give a star rating considering the controversy around Paul Rusesabagina. I first came to learn about Rwanda through the film Hotel Rwanda, which is still a great film - however there are serious concerns about its accuracy which are countered by survivors of the hotel, and as such so too is the story of this book. I don’t know which way I believe - I expect there are elements of truth and cover up in both this version and that of Inside the Real Hotel Rwanda. An interesting read but not one to read in a bubble - definitely worth reading Inside the Real Hotel Rwanda as a follow up.
bridget_voisin's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
A powerful story. It was interesting to read about horrors from someone who experienced it. The author shows great love and strength. I enjoy hearing about his love for his country and love for his family and people. This story is not for the faint of heart but can be rewarding to learn from history.
sally1's review
5.0
I listened to the audio version of this book, and I know that added to the experience of his story. It was as though Mr. Rusesabagina was telling his story personally. Truly an inspirational and enlightening story that everyone should hear.
cozylittlebrownhouse's review
4.0
This is one of the shortest books I have ever read that took me longer to read than many several times its size. I saw Hotel Rwanda when it came out in theaters, but reading the horrors in the words of the man himself was even more gripping and difficult to digest. I think it is important to read books such as these so we know what is happening in the world - too many Americans are closed off from international happenings. Unfortunately, stories like Paul's seem fairly common throughout Africa today. Maybe not to the degree of the massacre in Rwanda, but more so than we even know or understand. This was a powerful read, and it really makes you evaluate your own life and once again reassess how lucky we truly are.